'He comes from Jamaica his name is John Bar-nes, when he does his thing the crowd go banana's'
Graham Taylor gave the prodigiously talented youngster his debut for first club Watford in 1981 aged just 17, and within 2 years, Bobby Robson had seen enough to call him up to international duty.
Barnes was to quickly pay him back scoring one of Englands all time greatest goals against the Samba boys of Brazil in the Maracana.
All power and skill the younster was getting rave reviews for his trickery and clever feet. But unlike a myriad of similar players with 'digger' there was nearly always an end product (as Brazil already knew).
It was no suprise in 1987 that the biggest club in England would come in for him and paid £900,000 which for me remains Kenny Dalglish's best bit of business and one of the top 5 transfers the club ever made.
The front three of Beardsley, Barnes and Aldridge/Rush was a frightening prospect for most teams and ultimately resulted in just one expectation....failure.
In his first full season with the club, Digger was unbelievable. His influence noticable all over the pitch in a team that only lost twice and coasted to the league title. Unfortunately the FA cup was to be beyond us that year, as a plucky underdog in Wimbledon was to steal the limelight at Wembley. Barnes as ever outperformed all the other players in the recording of the club's FA cup record.
The following year things would be reversed as Liverpool seemingly cruised to a league and cup double but were to be dramatically (and heart breakingly for those of us that remember it ps-fuck you Nick Hornby) denied by Micheal Thomas and Arsenal at the very last hurdle.
However the dissapointment at Anfield was turned to joy at Wembley as Liverpool beat her neighbours Everton in a thrilling final 3-2.
Much of Barnes career was blighted by a sickening curse of the time Rascism.
One of the most memorable images of football ever sees our man casually (and of course accurately) backheeling a banana that Piedros' mu..sorry someone had thrown onto the pitch.
In 1990 John was to take his second title in 3 years with the reds, and was rewarded with a starting place in Italia 90 for the world cup.
He was (inexplicably) always unnable to recreate his dynamic and brilliant club form for England and Like Mcmanaman after him left the English fans feeling that somehow he never fullfilled his great potential on the greatest stage of all, a point which is even more poignant when you think how one of Europes finest talents never got to play in the Champions league after the English ban following Hysel.
Personally i believe the team of 1988 is as good a team as we have ever had and would have been unstoppable in europe, such a shame that we never got to discover if this is true. Barnes European cup winner!! Wouldnt that have sounded nice......and earned.
When i was a kid i practiced all day trying to curl the ball in the way Barnes did into the top corner. Everytime i got one right (normally every 800 or so) i would wheel away and yell BULLSEYE as that was as near as my lipreading prowess could make out what Digger says after every goal!
Staying at Liverpool through a tremendous period of change ofter the turn of the decade Barnes would go on to lift another FA cup and the League cup in 92 and 95 respectively, meaning he had the clean sweep of domestic honours with Liverpool.
His pace and silky skills on the wing had waned over the years (owing a lot to persistant injuries leading to long periods of innactivity) and his role became more of a holding and thoughtfull midfielder. He was at the club to oversee the emergence of a new batch of Liverpool midfielders and along with Jan Molby helped mould the futures of Mcmanaman and Redknapp.
John was players player of the year in 1988, along with writers player of the year and again in 1990.
I will always remember Barnes as two great footballers for Liverpool, one the brilliant and dynamic unstoppable winger who could burn down the line and beat two or three players to cross a pinpoint accurate cross in to Rush or Aldo, or cut inside and rifle one beautifully into the top corner! BULLSEYE!
He was also the creative force and deep lying engine of the early 90's that could pick out any pass and set a move in motion before the oppostion saw him draw hs leg back.
For a big man he had such grace and poise, he was a wonderfully gifted footballer and always comes accross as a top guy.
He went to play out his career at Newcastle and Charlton, but the feeling was that he didnt have the heart to fight of the injuries after he left Anfield, and as such his career ended shortly after leaving.
Scoring 84 goals in 314 appearances for the Reds and always with a smile on his face, we were incredibly lucky to follow King Kenny up with a football who if not as gifted got pretty damn close!
Ladies and gentlemen
JOHN BARNES.
Graham Taylor gave the prodigiously talented youngster his debut for first club Watford in 1981 aged just 17, and within 2 years, Bobby Robson had seen enough to call him up to international duty.
Barnes was to quickly pay him back scoring one of Englands all time greatest goals against the Samba boys of Brazil in the Maracana.
All power and skill the younster was getting rave reviews for his trickery and clever feet. But unlike a myriad of similar players with 'digger' there was nearly always an end product (as Brazil already knew).
It was no suprise in 1987 that the biggest club in England would come in for him and paid £900,000 which for me remains Kenny Dalglish's best bit of business and one of the top 5 transfers the club ever made.
The front three of Beardsley, Barnes and Aldridge/Rush was a frightening prospect for most teams and ultimately resulted in just one expectation....failure.
In his first full season with the club, Digger was unbelievable. His influence noticable all over the pitch in a team that only lost twice and coasted to the league title. Unfortunately the FA cup was to be beyond us that year, as a plucky underdog in Wimbledon was to steal the limelight at Wembley. Barnes as ever outperformed all the other players in the recording of the club's FA cup record.
The following year things would be reversed as Liverpool seemingly cruised to a league and cup double but were to be dramatically (and heart breakingly for those of us that remember it ps-fuck you Nick Hornby) denied by Micheal Thomas and Arsenal at the very last hurdle.
However the dissapointment at Anfield was turned to joy at Wembley as Liverpool beat her neighbours Everton in a thrilling final 3-2.
Much of Barnes career was blighted by a sickening curse of the time Rascism.
One of the most memorable images of football ever sees our man casually (and of course accurately) backheeling a banana that Piedros' mu..sorry someone had thrown onto the pitch.
In 1990 John was to take his second title in 3 years with the reds, and was rewarded with a starting place in Italia 90 for the world cup.
He was (inexplicably) always unnable to recreate his dynamic and brilliant club form for England and Like Mcmanaman after him left the English fans feeling that somehow he never fullfilled his great potential on the greatest stage of all, a point which is even more poignant when you think how one of Europes finest talents never got to play in the Champions league after the English ban following Hysel.
Personally i believe the team of 1988 is as good a team as we have ever had and would have been unstoppable in europe, such a shame that we never got to discover if this is true. Barnes European cup winner!! Wouldnt that have sounded nice......and earned.
When i was a kid i practiced all day trying to curl the ball in the way Barnes did into the top corner. Everytime i got one right (normally every 800 or so) i would wheel away and yell BULLSEYE as that was as near as my lipreading prowess could make out what Digger says after every goal!
Staying at Liverpool through a tremendous period of change ofter the turn of the decade Barnes would go on to lift another FA cup and the League cup in 92 and 95 respectively, meaning he had the clean sweep of domestic honours with Liverpool.
His pace and silky skills on the wing had waned over the years (owing a lot to persistant injuries leading to long periods of innactivity) and his role became more of a holding and thoughtfull midfielder. He was at the club to oversee the emergence of a new batch of Liverpool midfielders and along with Jan Molby helped mould the futures of Mcmanaman and Redknapp.
John was players player of the year in 1988, along with writers player of the year and again in 1990.
I will always remember Barnes as two great footballers for Liverpool, one the brilliant and dynamic unstoppable winger who could burn down the line and beat two or three players to cross a pinpoint accurate cross in to Rush or Aldo, or cut inside and rifle one beautifully into the top corner! BULLSEYE!
He was also the creative force and deep lying engine of the early 90's that could pick out any pass and set a move in motion before the oppostion saw him draw hs leg back.
For a big man he had such grace and poise, he was a wonderfully gifted footballer and always comes accross as a top guy.
He went to play out his career at Newcastle and Charlton, but the feeling was that he didnt have the heart to fight of the injuries after he left Anfield, and as such his career ended shortly after leaving.
Scoring 84 goals in 314 appearances for the Reds and always with a smile on his face, we were incredibly lucky to follow King Kenny up with a football who if not as gifted got pretty damn close!
Ladies and gentlemen
JOHN BARNES.
